


The Wool Not In Her Eyes

by LadyGrimReaper



Series: Kaliaverse [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Kalia will take no shit from Tony., This friendship is so sweet, Tony is a little shit, World Building made fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-01-07 11:25:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1119271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyGrimReaper/pseuds/LadyGrimReaper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Kalia meet in 1987 both graduating seniors, but one from college and the other from high school. Pen pals turned real life best friends, Kalia grows up immune to his bullshit while trying to make a career for herself. Technically Pre-Iron Man 1. First part of a series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel stuff. I don't make money off of it. 
> 
> Thanks goes to my lovely, amazing co-author and to the lovely amazing beta.

**Chapter One:**

The bell rang for the last class of the day and the halls flooded with rowdy students. Cheerleaders posted up at the head cheerleader’s locker, unashamedly preening in their short uniforms.

The non-uniformed females of the high school glared or stared longingly in their direction.

The dance team, were all wearing professional trousers, tops and heels. All of their hair was done up in a high ponytail and they looked damn fucking good.

One such female was confidently strutting down the hallway, ponytail swaying, and expensive camera in her hand.

High school junior, president of the yearbook class, chief editor of school magazine, and third year dance team member Kalia Rivera was on the prowl.

The girl usually 5’7” barefoot could now see over most people’s heads in the hallway. At age 16 she poised a powerful figure thanks to her mixed Latino and African American genes.

“Kalia!” A male member of the dance team joined her stroll to the last class of the day. Yearbook/school magazine/journalism. Lovingly named Yeargasm.

“Hey, love. Did you finish that assignment that was due today?”

Kalia smiled cheekily at her teammate, Benji and opened the door for him. The two minute warning bell rang and the hallways churned with the students rushing to get in class on time.

She sets her camera bag gently on her desk and sits down. Tapping the mouse to get the computer awakened she finally replies.

“Uh, yeah. I had that turned in yesterday morning. I knew game day was going to be chaotic as well as we get our little pen pal assignments today. I just hope I don’t get an idiot this time.”

Benji collapses into his desk chair and grabs his hair in mock panic.

“I forgot all about that shit. Oh my god. Kalia help me?!” He whimpered as the final bell rang and their teacher had yet to show.

She snorts and stands up calling the class to attention.

“Alright, then. Since Anthea is running late again she probably sent me a text message.”

The class quiets and she gives everyone a minute to get out their notebooks.

She reads from her phone. “And I quote: ‘Good afternoon kids, I’ll most likely be late but you guys know who’s in charge even if I’m not there. Your pen pal college assignments have been notified in advance and have all sent emails to you already. Kalia. I made sure to assign you this one. Please don’t kill me.’ End quote.”

There’s a flurry of computer brig turned on as soon as she finishes.

“Wait! Before we start, make sure to be at the press spots you were assigned to on time.”

And then classroom erupts into the dull roar of teenagers barely working and mostly socializing.

She turns back towards her desk and spots Benji bent over her workstation face almost glued to the computer.

“What the flying fuck! You got Anthony Fucking Stark?!”

“Get out of my email Benji!” She shoves him over with a frown and stares at the open email in anticipation. She begins to read it.

From: stark.a@mit.net  
To: rivera.kalia@bellsouth.net

_‘Dearest sweet Kalia Rivera,_

_So I really don’t have time to pen pal with a kid. So can I just throw a grand at you and say we did the assignment? I can doctor up some emails if I have to._

_Tony Stark’_

The first thing she thought of was that dear lord she would have to deal with a jack ass.

She quickly typed out a reply.

From: rivera.kalia@bellsouth.net  
To: stark.a@mit.net

_‘Dearest Godly Sassy Anthony Stark,_

_Oh, no you don’t. My career depends on the way I handle this assignment, Anthony! Don’t be a jerk. As you know I am Kalia Rivera. You probably already have a detailed FBI file on me or something. But I don’t know a damn thing behind Anthony Stark. Except for your sass and general dislike of your father. Now. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. I know where you live and I can get the legal documentation from my school to come up there and tie you to a chair. Or you can ask me out for coffee like a normal person. Your choice._

_Kalia’_

I smirk and hit send.

By the end of the class, Kalia was over her slight nervousness and was just now filled with anticipation. She couldn’t wait for further correspondence from little Stark.

The seventeen year old was very hot and featured on several covers of top magazines like Rolling Stones and even Vogue. Not that she was interested in that type of thing. She was incredibly focused on all the high school exams she had to go through as well as the application for Boston University, her dream school, for journalism and apprenticing at a magazine company. She had too much to do!

She was finishing up some of her AP English Literature homework while stretching and listening to a boom box that was playing for the dance team and cheerleaders. Everyone was in full uniform, mostly, and getting things finished up. Girls were either changing into the black velvet-like bell bottoms, or trying to fix the long sleeved crop tops that made up their dance uniform. Hair spray was being consistently sprayed in one corner of the hallway, while in a classroom, girls were putting on performance make-up. Other girls were doing homework too, and others were stretching while chatting.

One of the captains clapped her hands and shouted for all the dance team to get their asses into the halls.

Oh dear lord, it was the one that she couldn’t stand, and half the team couldn’t stand either. Juliet Tyler was senior captain and a bitch.

Her voice was annoying and when she was in a bad mood everyone knew it. Even if she wasn’t in a bad mood, she sounded like she was!

Anyways, once the dance team was in the hallway, she started inspecting us to make sure they were performance ready. Kalia leaned against the wall turning to Benji who was right in front of her.

“Still thinking about Mr. Stark, Industries Heir? Thinking about marrying him and having little Starkletts in a huge mansion with amazing technology and 24/7 access to dozens of nannies, so you and Stark could get it on in every single room of the mansion and on all flat surfaces?”

Kalia was startled into laughing, hard. “Oh my god, what the hell are you talking about?!” She snorts shoving him away and literally kicking his ass (lightly).

“I wouldn’t marry him anyways. I barely know him, plus we’re like 16!” She rolls her eyes and grabs a set of pom poms from the box. “I don’t know you right now. Plus we have a game to focus on!”

Halftime.

The score was 43-43.

The band was belting out multiple stand tunes back to back to back, making the cheer and dance team dance and parade like crazy.

Our coach called us over and handed us our tickets for free food.

Kalia was standing in line waiting patiently for her turn when a suave, drawling voice whispered in her ear. “Hey, pen pal buddy!”

Kalia was stuck in a mental loop of: “Oh my god, Tony Stark?” and “Oh my god, he’s touching me.” Yes, she was a bit of an admirer. He was a handsome young man. However, a womanizing slut and went through girls so quickly.

And that was his hand sliding down her bare stomach to her hip. Her head turned and she hissed. “Tony! Hands off!” She slapped at his hands and stepped from his embrace, forcing her composure back on.

“Tony darling, not in public!” She turned to face him and was not surprised at all to find him in sunglasses inside the stadium. She sighed lightly and gave him a quick hug.

Tony stiffened imperceptibly, but she felt it before he relaxed and hugged her back. “Nice to meet you pen pal buddy.” She joked and stepped back to turn towards the front of the line now.

Benji was staring at her and then him, his eyes flickering back and forth frantically. She rolled her own eyes and grabbed Tony’s hand to pull them both out of the line. Kalia herded him into one of the family restrooms and locked the door.

She stared at him hard for a moment before rubbing her eyes. “What are you doing here? Pen pals aren’t supposed to meet! We’re supposed to write to each other always, and maybe exchange a picture.”

“I wasn’t supposed to be on the pen pal system at all and my best friend signed me up for it because he was on it! Yet here we are, not following the rules.”

He pulls his sunglasses off and she stared for a moment.

“Are you high?!” She hissed stalking up to him and staring into his reddened eyes.

Were it not for the redness, he had extremely pretty eyes with very long eye lashes. He was a gorgeous boy, she had to admit. Smooth, creamy skin, an olive complexion, and thick dark hair. The boy was skinny, yet lean.

“Are you checking me out?” He returned back with a smirk.

She groaned and took a step back. “Okay. You seriously need to get out of here. There are school cops looking for students that are doing drugs and or drinking. Tell you what. My family had an emergency I have to leave the game. You! Meet me at the front entrance and by God do not attract attention to yourself and flirt with anything that moves.”

She turned on her heel and unlocked the door before sliding through it leaving him there.

Benji was right outside raising his eyebrows. She stalked right past him and he has to jog a bit to keep up.

“So, I heard no moaning or sloppy sounds. Oh. That’s right. Miss Prude is waiting for the big M day right?”

She pauses punching him in the arm with a laugh.

“Shut up! Nothing went on. In fact I have to leave the game. Tell coach and the nice captain that I had a family emergency? Thanks Benji.” She lifts up a bit to kiss his cheek and turned to make her way to the classroom with her stuff.

Kalia left the basketball game, after picking up her dance team duffle bag. She met up with Tony at the front entrance. Once there, she saw him leaning against a street lamp waiting for her. When she saw him, she couldn’t avoid the little jump her heart gave, both of excitement and then relief that he didn’t get into trouble due to his intoxicated state at that moment.

“Come, let’s go for some coffee, you’re gonna need it.” She told him, nudging her hip into his, playfully.

They stopped by a little, cosy coffee shop where Kalia ordered two coffees with Tony’s cash while Tony kept flirting with everything that walked or signed autographs or both. Kalia sighed. After taking and paying for the coffees, they left the shop.

They walked together along the street sipping their piping hot drinks and allowing an awkward silence to fall between the two.

Upon reaching a large building with numerous lit windows, they sneaked into the back of the building and up the stairs to almost the top floor.

“Here we are. MIT luxurious dorms. Complete with the slightly more frequent than occasional cockroach, ant problems, heating and air conditioning non capabilities, and nosey and noisy hallmates.” Tony declared, gesturing like a ringmaster into his room and finally interrupting the silence between them.

Tony immediately starts tugging his shirt from his jeans and stripping the shirt off. Kalia emits a sharp pitched squeak, whirling around to turn her back on him. Tony just laughs.

“You don’t want to see the perfection that is Tony Stark in the buff? Most would kill for the chance!”

“Mr. Stark. Prior notice would have been amazing.” Kalia’s face was hot and she didn’t dare turn her head in case she got a glimpse of a very attractive teenage boy.

“I even went commando for you, sweetheart.”

“TONY!” She squealed, appalled.

Hands settled on her hips and breath blew into her ear softly. Tony’s tenor deepened into a baritone. “I love it when you scream my name, baby.”

She was blushing so hard that she didn’t notice Tony removing himself from her personal space and finish dressing.

_Oh my god, was he groping me while naked?!_

Her eyes locked on the posters around the room. Bands she barely knew as well as techie memorabilia littered one desk and the walls. Her eyes traveled to his nightstand, next in the sequence, and she emitted a sharp noise from her throat, which she immediately stifled.

There was a large box of condoms on the drawer. Size large. Oh god she didn’t need those types of thoughts in her head. She didn’t want to know what Stark’s penis looked like, nor did she ever want to.

“How about we have some dinner, so we can know each other better? Do you prefer Chinese or Italian?” He asked her.

“Hm... Let’s order Chinese.” She turned to a fully dressed Tony in the most adorable MIT pajamas. A smirk threatened to cross her face.

Tony made a ‘don’t-you-dare’ face and dialed the phone call while Kalia sat at one of his desks and dropped her stuff to the floor.

She looked curiously around Tony’s room finding books, magazines and handouts about leading-edge technology on his desk and wall which she didn’t quite understand.

“How do you like my humble abode?” Tony said bending over so that his mouth was next to her ear. He unconsciously smelled the arch of her neck: a heady, sweet essence. For a brief moment he thought he was in heaven, because she smelled so good but pulled quickly away from her.

Kalia had no idea what was going on with Tony because she was trying to read one of the brochures on his desk. She chuckled, moving the sheet of paper away from her. “I can’t read that without looking in the dictionary for every other word.” She huffs. “And I feel so stupid in your ‘adobe’ of human college student and technological genius.”

Tony glanced over her shoulder at the aforementioned brochure and playfully tugged on Kalia’s ponytail. “It’s alright, darling. Some of the students that are seniors can barely read them either.” He couldn’t help but preen in her presence.

The high school student snorted, shaking her head in mock pity. “Oh these poor MIT students, putting up with a scrawny, 17 year-ol-” A knock on the door penetrated her speech and she glanced towards the door.

Tony froze for a second and then face palmed, groaning loudly. “Oh my god, please Kalia; I am sorry for what is about to occur. Some of the guys in this hallway can be utter assholes and I apologize for whatever they may do or say in advance.”

Kalia nodded slowly. “No problem Mr. Stark. I’m no stranger to assholes, immatures, and the jealous idiots.”

Tony opened the door by only a crack with a scowl on his face.

“YO STARKLETT! How’s my favorite jailbait going? Hey listen, me and my friend here need a little ‘help’ with our homework again. You know?”

Kalia could only see Tony’s stiffened back, due to his stiff posture.

“I told you that I wouldn’t do that anymore. I only helped out because Campbell asked me to and gave me extra credit for it.” There was a sneer in Tony’s words.

Kalia tilted her head, slowly getting to her feet. Her mind quieted and sharpened.

“What? What do you mean no? Stark, my life depends on this passing grade in Bio Mechs! I cannot fail.” The angry voice caused a bit of alarm.

Tony snorted. “Well, what do you know, daddy’s money can’t make everything go right, huh?”

She grimaces and looks around the room for something to distract the angry guy or something. Inspiration on what to do.

“Stark! You’re one to talk, with Howard Stark and Stark Industries backing up your stay here.”

Tony flinched and his tone turned ice cold. Her eyes just landed on his messy bed and a completely ridiculous and crazy idea came to her mind.

“I’ll have you know, Reecey-poo, that my father has nothing to do with me going here. I came here on almost a full ride due to my own genius and nothing about money. So you can take your ‘throw money at it’ attitude and get the fuck out of my doorway.”

She hurriedly began disrobing to bra and panties and began mussing up her hair.

There were noises that sounded like a bit of a struggle along with raised voices from the door.

“Why you asshole!”

“Hey man, maybe you should start studying like Campbell said? We should go.” Another voice said, sounding strained.

“The fuck, I’m not going anywhere without my completed paper!” Angry voice almost shouted.

She dove into Tony’s bed and started withering against the sheets to make it look extremely messy.

She wrapped the sheets around herself and adjusted them so that her shoulders showed in a tantalizing glimpse.

She purred. “Ton-ie,” she made sure to draw out his name in a play for seduction, “come back to bed? Please?”

There was a pause before the voices spoke up all at once “Stark has a chick in there?” “Why are you fucking some bitch when you’re supposed to be working on my paper?”

Tony had let the door open more while he turned towards Kalia, staring at her in his bed with a dropped jaw.

She kept her eyes on him, while she saw that two figures were poking their heads in the doorway.

“Tony!” She stretched out as langoriously as she was able to underneath the sheets and watched as Tony’s eyes followed the movement.

She winked at him, hoping he got the message.

“Right, get the hell out and good night, ass and Pearson. Make sure you lock his door too, Pear.” Tony slammed the door shut and locked it and turned toward her while propping himself up on the door.

“Oh my god, please tell me you’re naked.”

She bursts out laughing, allowing the covers to fall to reveal bra and panties.

“Damnit! Rivera, thank you for making not-so-little Tony excited.”

He tries to adjust the bulge in his jeans and she turns away blushing as he curses and glares at it.

“My apologies. And also you’re welcome for deterring the bullies.”

She crosses the room to her duffle bag and pulls out the school clothing she had on earlier today.

“Oh god, please do not bend over like that.” Tony’s voice was strangled and she gets to her knees, blushing harder.

“Sorry, Tony!”

She tugs on her business slacks, grinning at him.

“Tony, it’s getting late, I have to go home.”

The lock on the door suddenly clicks open and the door swings open to reveal a tall dark-skinned African American guy pocketing a key and opening his mouth to say something.

“Tony! You know Campbell’s paper is due next Fri-ooh.” The guy, Kalia assumed he’s Tony’s good friend because he has a key, stopped, did a double take at her, and then whirled towards Tony.

“Dude! No! This is not what it looks like! Kalia, this is Rhodey, Rhodey, Kalia. Kalia please continue to put your clothes back on while I try and explain what happened.”

Kalia busted out laughing again, barely able to put her shirt back on. “Why? There’s no used condom in the trash, nor is there the smell of sex and sweat in the air. Nor do we look like we’ve been kissing or making out. All the explanation needed. Come along then, after the food gets here, I have to get back to the high school to get my car. I’ll drive you both back here too.”

* * * * * * *

The start of a beautiful relationship. – Very clique but very true.


	2. Graduation Squared + Cruise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two graduations, one cruise, one master of snark, two students of snark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my beta readers and to my co-author.
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own Tony Stark. (God I wish I do, I'd never let that man out of my bed...)

Chapter Two  
Part One: Kalia’s Graduation.

Kalia’s Graduation (From High School)

“Kalia! The Starks are here! ¡Ay, Dios mío! ¡Mi niña se va a ir fuera del país! ¡¿Qué voy a hacer?!”

Tony was at the front door, dressed in a tuxedo and in sunglasses. Kalia’s mom, Mrs. Rivera opened the door and promptly burst out into tears.

“¡Lo siento, lo siento! My baby girl’s graduating from high school, and was just accepted into Boston University and you’re taking her on a cruise, and young man there better not be any funny business. Not until the wedding night. My Kalia has been waiting for marriage and you take care to keep yourself in a chastity device, understand? I want my Kalia to fit her white dress figuratively and literally, Mr. Stark.” By the end of her rant, Mrs. Rivera had dry eyes and a hawkish look on her face as she eyed Tony.

Tony had stepped into the house, quickly defending himself. “Oh my gosh, Mrs. Rivera. I understand! I’m only a good friend of Kalia’s nothing like that!”

Kalia, herself, had just finished throttling her hair into the curls that it was supposed to be in and had made sure her minimal make-up (upon request from her mother) hadn’t smeared. She had on a simple white dress that would go underneath the graduation robes and all her honor cords were neatly hung up in a garment bag. She already had on her academic cap with the honor and regular tassels already on it. On her feet, she had simple comfortable white flats.  
She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath.

“Nervous?” Her dad had the garment bag and she stood to smirk up at the man.

“No, dad. I’m just extremely excited for the upcoming months, you know?” She turned off the vanity mirror lights and walked up the stairs from her basement room.

She could tell that her dad had a frown on his face. “I know it took days to convince me to let you on that cruise with Stark’s boy, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. That boy is a womanizer for sure.”

“Dad! You don’t believe everything those magazines say do you?” She walked right into the living room in time for her mom to ambush with her Polaroid camera.

“Mom! ¡Por Dios! ¡Mis ojos!”

Kalia squinted as her eyes at her mom while Tony just laughed.

“Shut it, Stark. Mom’s going to want a plethora of you too.” She scowled and crossed the room to Tony who snarled right back at her.

“I don’t mind being the center of attention at all. I’m used to it.” He grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Unbeknownst to the two, Kalia’s mom had taken a picture of the moment and spoke to her husband in a low voice while lightly shaking the picture so it would come out. “That Tony and our Kalia are going to end up married. Look at them, they already bicker like they’re together.”

Mr. Rivera had his arms crossed and was frowning. “That skirt-chaser is not dating or marrying my daughter!”

Mrs. Rivera only giggled. At her age of 38, she may have been relatively young, but she was wise beyond her age. Her dark eyes glittered while staring at the bantering young not-yet couple. “Maybe not now, sweetheart. Nor in ten years. But perhaps in 20 years. Lord willing I wish to still be alive so I can rub it in your face at their wedding.” She spoke up. “You two go along now. Us old people will catch up in non-flashy vehicles.”

“Alright, see you later, mom!” Tony held out an arm, and Kalia took it as they strode out the door to his limo. Rhodey was in a tux himself, already in the car and sipping on a sparkling wine.

“Took you two long enough.” He scooted so the two could sit by him.

“Her mom took multiple pictures of us while lecturing me not to have sex with her daughter.” He sighed while playfully tugging on a curl.

“Seriously?” The only female in the car questioned, snorting as she was handed a bottle of water. “Does she know that I am like the only virgin at this graduation?”

“What university did you apply and got accepted into?” Rhodey inquires.

“Boston.” She sighs. “I made a compromise to wait for my sophomore year before getting into the magazine business.”

Tony made a pouty face at her causing her to laugh. “Shut up! I was looking forward to applying to work early. Plus I now have to deal with a roommate and I don’t do well with people in my sleeping space.”

Tony grins, a lewd, sly grin. Kalia catches sight of it and pinches him. “Hey now! No trying to screw my roommate with that freakishly large penis of yours.”

Rhodey makes a disgusted noise, whimpering. Tony just laughs and leans over to whisper. “How do you know I have a large one?”

Kalia snorts and pushes him back towards Rhodey. “Your condoms were on a pedestal with light shining down upon them from the heavens, highlighting the letters X and L in your bedroom.”

A light knock on the window pane interrupts their conversation and Kalia scoots towards the door. They pulled into the back of the school, because of all things a limousine would definitely bring attention to whoever was coming out of it, and there were only a few people around to glance at it and look away.

The driver opens the door with a flourish for her, and she steps out. The boys follow and she has to fix her tassel on her cap, while making sure her gown is not wrinkled.

Tony’s sunglasses are on his head, but he steps close and gives her a hug around the items in her hands and whispers. “We’ll be out there cheering for you, hun. Then when it’s over, we’re spending a lot of time at my place before it’s my turn.” 

Kalia reluctantly lets go of him and turns to Rhodey to do the same. “Thanks guys. I have zero friends in this hellhole. I’m glad I have you two.”

She turns on a white clad heel and enters the school building.

* * * * * * *

“Graduates, you may now turn your tassels to the left side of your caps, Congratulations!” The principal hurriedly steps back as all the students ran towards the goal post and threw their caps up in the air.

There was confetti, noise, music, cheers, crying, screaming, shouting, all for the now graduated students out of high school. Kalia herself did not throw her cap, she had fallen back grinning towards the cheerful picture here graduating class made and then turned towards the football stands. (The graduation was held on the football field.)

She could see her parents, Tony, and Rhodey making their way down the side of the stands and she hurried to meet them.

After a barrage of more pictures and hugging, her parents let her free.

She feels the rasp light facial hair, and a kiss on her cheek. “Congratulations, Ms. Rivera.” She couldn’t help but blush. Yes, Tony was a handsy friend with not much respect for personal space. She should have been used to his antics by now, but he surprised her with that kiss; it was relatively close to her lips.

By the time Rhodey did the same, her face wasn’t as warm as it had been and she felt herself in control. She bounces on the balls of her feet, her gown billowing slightly in the wind. “Thanks guys! I really appreciate it.”

“There’s champagne in the limo! Let’s get the hell out of here.” Tony grabs each of his friends by the arm and pulls them away from the crowds.

* * * * * * *

Admittedly by the time the three friends arrived home, at least two of them were borderline tipsy. The other one was used to drinking and wasn’t even feeling warm.

Rhodey and Kalia meet Mr. Howard Stark and Mrs. Maria Stark. They meet Jarvis and get another glass of something alcoholic.  It was some type of mixed drink; Kalia doesn’t remember too well.

Somehow, it was dinner time, and Kalia was definitely on her way to drunk. She hasn’t ever drank before and she couldn’t hold alcohol well.

The dining room table was glorious and huge. It was as royal as ever, including the awkward sitting ten feet away. She chose to drag her chair right next to Tony and sit there. As she ate she conversed with him.

She ‘whispered’. “Tony, your parents are fucking glamorous. Your dad is so handsome. I can see where you get your looks from. But he’s totally a fucking ass.” She trails off to take a sip of her wine. A rather long sip. “Your mom’s a pushover, but she’s cute. I think. Pretty. You have her eyes. And Tony your eyes are beautiful, and the way they’re framed by your eyelashes makes me so jealous that I don’t have eyes like that.”

She clinks her utensils down into her plate and finally raises her voice. “Okay, I have to say this. Mr. Stark you are one sexy Daddy, but for fuck’s sake you are an asshole! Mrs. Stark you’re pretty too but you’re sort of a pushover, letting the Stark men do what they want without further thoughts to them and their surrounding. Jarvis is amazing, pretty much raising your son, I like him. He has a cool accent too. I like English accents. I’m out, love. I’ll be probably unconscious on your bed.”

She pats Tony on his arm, not registering the wide-eyed, slack-jawed look of someone in shock and wiggles her way out of the chair. She has to pause a moment because the world tilts just a bit before moving to the exit. Suddenly she turns around and marches back to the table. She grabs her glass of wine and marching right back around and out the door.

The Starks, all three of them, were stunned. Not many people had talked to them like that at all.

* * * * * * *

Tony heaves Kalia up to his shoulder, letting her sprawl all over him as he tries to awaken her.

“Kalia.. Kal. Li. A. Wake up darling. You have to drink some water or you’ll have a hell of a hangover.

Kalia just moans pitifully, already feeling herself crash towards nausea and stomach ache.

She accepts the glass of water and sips at the straw, while leaning all her weight on the solid warmth of Tony.

Tony whispers. “My parents don’t know whether to like you or kick you out. That’s excellent in my opinion.”

Kalia just grunts, mumbling. “Don’t care. Sexy, bastard of a dad and pretty pushover of a mom don’t get to judge me when they make subpar parents.”

Tony just laughs, refilling the glass with a bottled water. Kalia takes a longer time to drink that. “Hey, you called my father, handsome and my mother pretty. Is there something I should know about, Kalia? You can’t hold your alcohol.”

“Fuck you.” She mumbles about to fall asleep curled against his neck.

Tony sets the glass on his side table and gently pours Kalia down into his bed. “I’ll tell you all about my artificial intelligence plans later.”

Kalia mumbles. “Yeah, I had to set a hard drive aside because it was on my side of the bed. Sorry.” She trails off, already fallen asleep.

Kalia awakens extremely warm and comfortable. She realizes there’s an arm around her and she relaxes against Tony.

She freezes when Tony lets out a small moan in her ear, and she realizes another important thing.

His morning erection is pressed snugly between her thighs.

Her face is flaming hot the next second and she’s in a dilemma. She doesn’t know whether to wake him up and face more embarrassment and awkwardness, or to let him sleep and wake up on his own and let himself find out what’s going on down there.

She honestly didn’t think it would go away anytime soon. The condoms didn’t give her that much of an idea about how… blessed Tony was under his shorts.

She prays that he wakes up very soon cause her face feels like it’s about to explode.

She tries to even out her breath and fake sleep; she wanted to go back to sleep and feign ignorance when Tony would wake up and go take care of himself somehow, but her brain was hyperactive and she was very well ware of the heavy length of flesh nestled between her thighs.

She tried to get out of the bed without waking Tony, but his grip on her was strong like he didn’t wanted to let her go. His hot breath brushed against her neck, and his stubble tickled her bare shoulder. Every time she moved wasn’t helping the situation down there either. She was feeling warmer by moments.

She had no headache; her stomach was just slightly upset, and her mouth tasted normal as far as morning mouth taste went. Her eyes weren’t hurting too bad and the sunlight peeked through the blinds and she could tell it was getting late.

Meanwhile, Tony’s breathing was becoming more and more erratic and more moans started to come from his mouth. His pajamas were starting to get damp and so were Kalia’s. What the hell is he dreaming about?! He’s a shameless playboy even in his dreams?! Kalia thought to herself.

All her attempts to get out of bed without waking him were frustrating, when she felt him stir behind her. “Stop moving, it’s still too early,” he rumbled, his usually soft voice roughened with sleep. 

Tony’s hips started to grind into her buttocks and she squeaked into the pillow by her face, incredibly embarrassed, and admittedly turned on a little bit.

“Oh fuck!” Tony stiffens and then relaxes in his sleep, purring contently. Kalia’s mind is stuttering to realize that he just ejaculated into his shorts, by rubbing against her and oh my god was she stuck in a cycle of “Oh my gosh” and “Oh shit, this is so embarrassing.”

Tony’s erection was no longer between her thighs but the wetness of his orgasm stayed and she grimaced. And then Tony started to kiss along her neck, murmuring sleepily and still clearly out of it. 

She freaked out and turned her head to bite his ear. “Tony!”

The eighteen-year old jerked awake. He really was a genius as it only took a few seconds of staring down at her before his eyes sharpened, and cheeks turned red. “Oh... shit. I am so sorry. Would you feel less embarrassed if I tell you it was a wet dream about someone else?”

* * * * * * *

Tony had disappeared somewhere for hours on end that embarrassing day and she herself did not make any efforts to try and find him.

By the time the day of his graduation came, they were as close as entwined fingers again.

She was reading a textbook for one of her classes, already starting on the notes like a good student, when Tony burst into her room with a long garment bag over his arm.

“My parents brought you a dress to wear for my graduation.”

She raised her eyebrows, looking up at him from the desk. “Your parents still like me?”

He hangs up the dress and reveals a shoebox under his arm. “Enough to gift you a thousand dollar dress.” He rolled his eyes, setting the box underneath the dress. “I guess they want to  throw money at you in hopes that you’ll be my ‘bestest’-” he says the word as if he’s ten years old - “friend forever”.

“Anyway, mom is having her professional makeup artist and hair stylist sent up in an hour and a half. You put the make-up on first and then the dress by the way. With me preferably in the room as you undress.” He leers at her, good-heartedly.

Used to his ways and flirtations she ignores the latter statement and looks at him deer-in-the-headlights way. “Why do I need make-up?” She should be a bit insulted but she’s not, she’s genuinely confused.

Tony shrugs. “To be honest any hint of sweat on somebody’s face will show up when lights flash. As in cameras. ‘Anthony Edward Stark graduates from MIT at the top of his class, accompanied by his parents and a young lady that we must know more about! Is she his long lost sister? Maybe a backwater cousin! Or maybe she’s his girlfriend!’ A day in the life of a Stark, I’m afraid. You’ll want to look your best.” He winked at her and walked out.

Well than, that just made her want a disguise. Perhaps she can dye her hair an auburn reddish colour. She stood and went to the dress. She took a peak and couldn’t help but let out a small sharp squeal.

Okay, she had to admit it was a lovely black dress. And she’s totally dying her hair a different colour. And red lipstick would ‘pop’ and demand attention… perhaps not with her hair colour being a type of red. Nevermind.

She was being pampered; she admitted that it felt lovely. She was given a massage, manicure, pedicure, foot scrub, facial scrub and massage, and her hair and makeup was done last. She hadn’t looked at herself in the mirror, but she probably glowed.

Having requested to have make-up as light possible, they had given her a very, very light foundation base of her skin tone, eye-shadow, eyeliner, mascara and a nude lipstick colour.

Having scrutinized the process, she deemed it extremely satisfactory and was rushed to put on the dress.  
With her hair in an extravagant updo, the slimming nature of the dress made a sharp contrast. The torso of the dress was a soft velvet, tailored to fit her shoulders and chest perfectly; the V-neck cradled and held her breasts without making them too obvious or too flat; the silky skirt of the dress started at the waist and gracefully fell down to the ankles in soft ruffles. Her three inch, sharp heels completed the outfit, elevating her off the floor just enough so that the patent leather of the heels could peek underneath the skirt.

As far as accessories went, she had a simple silver cross and studs in her ears.

She felt like a million bucks, as the saying goes. When she meets Tony outside her door, he’s taken aback for a good few seconds.

Tony offered her his arm like a good gentleman and with a tone of amusement he said, “You look very beautiful, my lady.” 

“Thank you, Tony. You don’t look bad yourself.”

“That’s it?! You don’t have more to say to this sexy and gorgeous guy whom you have the honor to accompany?” He asked while pointing at himself. Kalia just rolled her eyes at his comment and accepted his arm. 

“Mmm, I can accede to gorgeous. You have a few years until you get sexy.” Kalia smirked, gently leading him down the stairs.

The limo ride to the MIT graduation ceremonies was not all that bad. She and Tony were sitting one side facing the rear windshield, while Howard and Maria were  on the opposite side. 

Maria had given her and Tony a wink while Howard had scowled while reluctantly complimenting her.

She only grinned. Her teeth glinted white, straight and proud.

MIT had no such thing as class ranking, therefore there were no valedictorian or salutatorian to make speeches. The Starks and her had politely waited until Rhodey was announced and got his diploma frame before they ducked out of the ceremony.

Before long, they had the blessings from the Starks to have fun and the three friends were on a private Stark jet to New Orleans.

After an hour and a half discussion during the flight, Tony, Rhodey and Kalia are stumbling out of the jet laughing so hard their stomachs hurt.

Kalia had said in a completely serious tone that she wanted a tongue piercing on the last day of the cruise. 

Tony being the horny teen that he was had slid up to her and wiggled her eyebrows at her. She had pinched him in retaliation.

Rhodey has then groaned, turned away and looked out the window as the jet descended from its flight. “Well, you guys already sleep in each other’s bed, eat each other’s food, and argue, get married already.”

Kalia picking up her clutch bag had swaggered, honestly swaggered out the door with head held high and hips swinging. “You’ll be my best man, then as Howard walks Tony down the aisle.”

* * * * * * *

She could tell it was going to take a while to get her sea legs, regardless of the fact she was in 3 inch heels.

She walked with the help of Tony and Rhodey by her side through customs and check in. Their suitcases would appear at their doors in first class cabins. Surrounded by two good looking guys, graduates from MIT, and mature guys, she was thrilled. Her heart started to beat in her chest hard and fast. She was getting giddy with excitement.

They were silent, enjoying the sights and sounds of New Orleans as they departed from the port.

They skipped the introduction to the ship ceremonies, instead settling for opening a bottle of champagne in Tony and Rhodey’s room.

They sat either on the two Queen sized beds, or on the small dresser drawer. With a champagne flute in all their hands, they toasted to everything.

“To good health, long life, and fun times.” Kalia raised her glass.

“To graduation from that hell of a University, surviving being friends with this idiot for four years, and getting to meet  fantastic friends.” Rhodey raised his glass very high.

“To sex, my large box of XL condoms, and of course my friends. Let’s fucking party guys.” Tony clinked his glass against the other two’s and downed his drink in one swallow.

The others followed suit, silent for a moment before holding their glasses out to Tony to pour again.

“Fuck yes. I’m about to go into college. I want to get fucked up before I go instead of during the semester.”

“That’s the spirit!” Tony poured the last of the champagne and threw it in the corner where it bounced.

“To graduation!” Kalia raised her glass triumphantly for including all three of them in a category. 

“Here, here!” Tony and Rhodey clinked their glasses against hers again and this time took the time to savour the taste of the drink.

Unfortunately for them, they could not miss the demonstration of safety protocols. 

* 

After the protocol demo, they were guided to the restaurant where they sat at an exclusive table and dined. It was supposed to be casual, but hey, they didn’t want to change from their formal dress from Tony and Rhodey’s graduation.

Seeing as they were not in international waters yet, they could not publicly drink alcohol. Coke had to do. They each ordered different appetizers, soups, and salads, and entrees to all eat off each other’s.

After dinner, they enjoyed a post-meal walk around the pools and hot baths.

Nodding and greeting most people they came across, people were already beginning to slut themselves on the cruise. There were those making out in the hot baths, those chatting up others at the bars; women already in their Lady-of-the-night dress and makeup, and guys already looking for their next lay. 

She had to admit that the attention of a lot of those guys scared her a bit. A virgin on a cruise was like a tumbler of 100 year old scotch in the midst of a room of alcoholics.

When they got to their rooms, across the hall from each other, she kissed their cheeks good night and vanished into her room.

Behind closed doors, she let out a small squeal, kicking off her heels and dancing to a tune she only knew.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” She squeals, throwing herself on the bed and grinning into her pillow.

* * 

Her alarm call in was set for 10 in the morning. Giving no fucks whatsoever, she had donned an ankle length bathrobe and flip flops and made her way out to the morning breakfast buffet.

Once there she piled as much bowls of fruit, plates of toast, pancakes, and yogurt onto one large tray as possible. Thankfully, everything was served in a stacking-friendly bowl or plate. She deposited many fruit juice boxes into her robe and onto the tray and made her way back down to the deck where their rooms were.

Having the key card to their room, she balanced the tray on one arm while opening the door.

“I hope you guys are both dressed at least half way decently! I have breakfast!”

A groan sounded from one bundle while the other Queen bed was made already. Oh! One of them must be in the shower.

She sat the tray down on the vanity desk and crawled into bed with the bundle. She found tanned white skin and a head full of thick dark brown hair.

She scooted really close and stared at him in the face for a good few moments.

After a while, Tony’s eyebrows started twitching, nose started wrinkling, and eyelashes started fluttering.

“God, you know that is so creepy!”

She couldn’t help but giggle.

“Up and at ‘em! The morning is here, the sun is up, and there’s much to do today!” She flopped down on top of her best friend, pinning him to the bed.

“For fuck’s sake, Kalia!” Tony yelped, wiggling onto his side while turning a slight shade of pink in the face. “...just give me ten minutes? Please?”

She watched his face for a second before it hit her. Oh! It’s the morning.

She backed away from his bed with a knowing chuckle and grabbed the tray to place it on Rhodey’s bed. The day’s schedule was printed and sitting on the floor under the door so she got that too.

Rhodey exits the bathroom with a towel riding extremely low on his hips.

She wolf whistled at him and he flips her off as he walks back into the bathroom with a change of clothes. 

Tony grunted as he hefted himself up, took one of the fruit juice boxes from the tray and drained it. Her eyes flickered up from the paper and she had to stifle a giggle at seeing his bed head.

After Tony had used her room’s shower to clean himself up, the three friends were sitting on Rhodey’s bed, eating their breakfast while discussing what to do for the day.

“There’s not much to do right now. Though there is a post-dinner show on Deck 13:Piano and Drink”, Tony looked over her shoulder to read.

Kalia hummed thoughtfully. “Well that sounds relaxing. I’d like to do that. Sunbathe and read a book till lunch. Get a frozen margarita. Eat lunch in my room. Get a massage from the spa.” She snatches a juice box and works on it for a few minutes as the other two figure out what they want to do.

*  
Kalia was glowing after the massage from the spa. She had a simple casual blouse and skirt on so she could look presentable for the dinner.

After the amazing sirloin, fruit salad and mashed potatoes dinner, Tony and Rhodey escorted her to Deck 13 for the post-dinner piano concert. The friends were extremely relaxed, sipping on expensive wine and speaking in low tones so as not to disrupt the dreamy, sleepy atmosphere with the piano playing beautifully in the background.

They each had a good night’s sleep that evening.

The next evening Rhodey had knocked on her door to sleep in her room because Tony was getting some. He slept on top of the covers with his bed cover from his own bed, while she slept normally.

The next day Kalia had gotten tipsy, Rhodey had stayed by her side to dissuade any guys from taking advantage, and stayed in her room again.

The last night, the promised tongue ring had been gotten. Dosed up with generic brand painkillers, she had slept like a log until Tony and Rhodey brought breakfast to her bed. Apple sauces, lots of juice, and several smoothies were the only things she could eat with a swollen and hurting tongue.

Her parents didn’t freak out too much upon seeing the tongue ring. Though her mom had glanced between Tony and her several times while they had brought her luggage into her room.

****


	3. Concert!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kalia gets glammed up for a show!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own things that belong to Marvel. Only this character.
> 
> Thanks goes to all of our lovely betas: You are all awesome. Hearts and kudos to my co--author.

Disclaimer: I don't own things that belong to Marvel. Only this character.

Thanks goes to all of our lovely betas: You are all awesome.  
Concert!

“Ms. Rivera and Ms. Cooper, your proposal for a fundraising event has been approved,” Jonathan Simmons, the bloody Dean of Boston University, congratulated us.

 

A good friend of Kalia’s, Kimberly Cooper, the co-captain of the dance team grinned at her with jubilation and they fist bumped, triumphantly.

The other heads of departments grinned along with them. The team pulled out some papers and got down to business.

“We were thinking of reserving the Agganis Arena,” Kalia started off, looking to the heads of the departments.

 

Nathaniel Burgess, head of Residence Life nodded, writing notes in a notebook. “I can reserve it. What date?”

Kalia and Kimberly looked at each other for a moment as if communicating with each other mentally.

“It depends on how long we get everything set up,” Kim spoke with a brief pause to think. “I mean right now, we say maybe the last day before spring break. That gives us,” she paused again and hurriedly counted the days in her head. “211 days to set everything up. I think that’s more than enough. We could give the rest of this month and the first two weeks of October to advertise the need for musical acts; the date to try out for the spots could be on the 15th and 16th. That would make it the Thursday and Friday.” Kim finished and she looked over to Kalia who nodded and examined her papers before writing in a few things.

She then took over and began to outline the schedule. “So that’s about three weeks for people to know, get something created and register to try out. We could have a registration fee as part of the fundraiser- up to you. As Tryouts are on the 15th and 16th, we could hold a meeting for those that made it in on Saturday the 17th to iron out rehearsal plans. We would need to contact a catering company and rent tables and chairs for a VIP section. There would be a full course dinner for those that donate enough to be in the VIP section.”

The dean was furiously writing into his notebook, nodding along with the plans as he wrote.

Kim added with a grin, their plans were coming to fruition, “And there would be a host to hand out ‘Thank You’ plaques for those that donated a lot. A sort of awards ceremony. Can’t expect to not say thank you for your money to them.”

Several nodded around the table.

Kalia grimaced somewhat. “While I’d love to be part of the committee, the reason why I suggested this was so that I could be a part of the show. I’m planning on trying out.”

“Well, Ms. Rivera, it’s approximately 95% of the job that those higher up in the command are responsible for. Therefore, it would be our pleasure to handle this mostly ourselves.” Simmons stated and held out his hand.

Kalia leaped up and vigorously shook his hand with a triumphant smile on her face.

* * * *

October 17, 1987.

‘Kalia Rivera hosts the 1988 First Annual UNICEF Concert!’ Kalia proudly waved the flyers in the air before pinning up numerous posters. The meeting was Saturday and she needed to hurriedly spread the word.

*

October 18, 1987

Seated at a large table in the Dean’s meeting room were the acts that made it ‘in’ and the head of the Theatre department, as well as the head of Res Life.

“First, congratulations for making the final cut. The talent BU has is simply amazing. Second, is to work on a schedule for rehearsals. I’m sure everyone needs to rest from the stressful try outs so we’ll grant you two weeks before the meeting on October 31st,” Simmons stood and wrote Oct 31 on the chalkboard. Several people around the table pulled out their agendas.

“Seeing as how this is our first UNICEF concert, I think that all of your semester finals can be exempt and as a replacement, the concert will act as your final exams.” Loud cheers erupted in the room and most people had their hands on their mouths praying in thanks.

Simmons smirked and wrote ‘No Finals’ on the board. “That said, you guys have the time to now work on your separate acts. The very first rehearsal will be schematics. That rehearsal will be the third week of January of the new year. Date still undecided.” Simmons wrote ‘Schematics Rehearsal?’ and turned to the room. “I will be part of the background getting everything set up. After this, it’s Whaley and Bell that will be the main directors since this is their departments.”

The two women nodded in greeting. “They set the rehearsal days and times, and the order of performances. Dr. Whaley? Dr. Bell? Anything need saying before I let them all go?”

Dr. Bell stood, a portly older white woman in her 40’s with startlingly dark and grayless hair. “Ah, yes. Practice the performances you want to showcase and be ready to perform them in January. Have at least three back up performances. The songs or performances should be approximately 7-10 minutes in length until told otherwise. As a 3 hour concert, at the most there will be 120 minutes of actual entertainment, and even less so when we get down to the final nitty-gritty details. The actual performance has been decides to be the Saturday before Spring Break: March 19.”

****  
March 19, 1988

There were _several thousand_ people in the audience in the stadium and Kalia closed her eyes, body trembling in anticipation and fear.

She could hear them from her dressing room, a loud conglomeration of voices waiting for a show. She glanced at the mirror, ensuring that her face full of glamorous make-up was still flawless.

Her hair was tightly braided, in as few cornrows as possible. They had to take them out for the intermission performance anyway.

A tech in all black clothing with a headset and an equally as nervous smile appeared at her side and she gave her a thumbs-up when she realized it was Kim.

“Break a leg chick. First act is up in 10, I repeat everyone to places, first act in 10.” Kim exited the room after a quick fist bump with Kalia. Her heart started pumping harder, the nerves building up into a dull roar in the back of her head.

“Thank you ten,” she murmured in reply, getting up to wrap a black shin-length trench coat around her form. She hurried to the wings of the stage and got in place next to the first band; they were all as jumpy and nervous as she was. Some of them had obvious ticks like foot tapping or finger tapping, while others shifted from foot to foot. Everyone wanted this to succeed.

First the lights slammed off with a thunderous sound for a dark stage. The audience immediately quieted with incredibly noisy expectancy.

The band members creeped to their spots. The drummer flicked a drumstick on the cymbals as a cue. Everyone on stage and everyone backstage took their final breath in preparation.

The lights flashed back on.

The drummer ticked off the tempo with the drumsticks and the band roared into the first measures of their music with vigour.

It was a sort of funk-like rock sound. Without a visible cue, the band pulled off the loud sound back to very soft playing; the flare gained numerous applause and whistles from the crowd.

With her cue, she strolled onto the stage and stopped dead and center where the mic stand was. She was told to look straight dead and center, with occasional glances around the stadium; don't look at anyone specifically. She couldn't help herself. Her eyes found Tony Stark and his family and her nerves vanished. Her shoulders relaxed and her chest was released from the tight grip of anxiety.

She shimmied and rocked her hips with the music for a few seconds before she cut them off with a sharp movement of her hand, as practiced.

“Welcome. To Boston University’s First Annual UNICEF Concert Event! I. Am. Your. Host. Kalia Rivera!”

Applause rang out as she paused and the lights dimmed to soft white, and then flickered over in a dazzling display to a deep hue of blue. Kalia stared out into the crowd at anonymous faces, nerves starting to jump up in excitement and adrenaline rather than nervousness.

She giggled a little in the mic before she allowed the applause to settle. “It is my honour to be a freshman at BU, and put together something this amazing to raise funds for UNICEF. Here’s a few statistics for you before the show begins. Here tonight are three thousand students from BU. Their tickets were five dollars each. Here tonight, are four thousand parents of students of BU. Their tickets were ten dollars each. Here tonight, are eighty professors of BU. Their tickets were five dollars each. Here tonight are over _five thousand_ additional donors. Of those five thousand. Three hundred and fifty have donated above ten thousand dollars each! From the bottom of my freshman heart, I _thank you_ all!”

Thunderous applause and cheers met her in reply and she smiled back at the audience before turning to the band and letting them start the celebration with a cue.

The lead singer steps to the mic and belts out a soulful sounding note and that kicks it off. Dancers appeared from the wings and Kalia backed away from the mic unbuckling the strap at the middle of her coat and allowing it to slip off her shoulders. With a choreographed shoulder shimmy and hair toss, the coat fell to the stage floor and was dropped into a trap door.

Boston University’s dance team took the stage along with the first band of the night and danced behind the lead singer.

Their uniforms were designed by a kind soul from Savannah College of Art and Design - it was an off the shoulder, single leg jump suit that had ruffles going down the one shoulder. It had the crotch and thigh outlined in a fiery red flame design and the rest of the cloth was pure black. Completing the uniform were matching anklets and bracelets as the dancers were barefoot.

They positively sparkled with a lot of glitter and stage make-up as they almost upstaged the band. The smiles on their faces were genuine and the aura on stage was extremely cheerful, excited, and happy. The stadium rose to their feet as the sound vibrated their seats and seemingly burst ear drums.

When the end of the song came near, the dance team were pulling every last advanced dance technique that they were allowed. And when the drums played out a percussive bomb of the finale, all the dancers dropped into perfect splits to emphasize the ending of the beginning act.

Cheers and screams echoed and bounced off the stadium walls and the lights dimmed from bright white, to black.

The performers on stage exited on either side of the stage, their faces glistening with a light sheen of sweat and smiles or smirks wide on their lips. The next act was being prepared to enter the field.

It wasn’t until the dance team was backstage that they gave in to silently squealing and jumping up and down in excitement.

Holy shit, the rush was amazing. Performing in front of thousands.

Kalia emerged out of the mob of dance team members already being helped out of the first uniform. A few techies were strapping the headdress of her next costume on while a makeup handler was cleaning the glitter from her person using. While dark eye-make up was applied she’s strapped into the top half of the costume and is allowed to step into the skirt of it. She stepped into the matching flat shoes for the costume and she’s ready to sit for approximately forty-five minutes until her next performance.

She received pats on her back on her way to her dressing room and she relaxes as much as she can in her actor’s chair to get ready mentally for the next stage appearance.

****

The next band she was performing with was extremely new age Rock that allowed her to get crazy.

She was decently singing the lyrics while almost making love to the microphone, dragging the stand behind her and striding back and forth across the stage.

The people were eating this performance up; Her look was almost a tribute to Cher. A ridiculously fluffy black headdress with silver highlights, a strap of cloth that covered her breasts barely, but fabric criss-crossed its way up her throat in a parody of modesty, a bare stomach and a skirt that fell in glorious sequined waves to the floor*.

Of course the song she was currently screaming to the crowd was half way seductive, half way angry. There were musical parts where she had to use a breathy, gentle voice. And then there were parts where she battled head to head against the drummer.

When the song came to an explosive close, the lights dimmed to black before coming back as a soft purple. There was sweat dripping down her forehead and down her back.

And she chuckled as the crowd went nuts cheering and applauding. “Ahaha. Thank you. Everyone. Missing Riots, everybody. One bad ass band, if I may say so myself.” She paused, grooving to the background music playing from the band and she points upward in a superheroic strong pose.  
“LIGHTS!” The stage lights blasted to full house ‘on’. But that was okay because the band had pulled out their sunglasses and pushed them on.

“LIGHTS!” She pointed out towards the audience this time, shimmying and shaking as the lights in the audience came up to full power.

“And STOP!” The band drug down its final notes and she bowed deeply to the audience whispering a seductive. “Intermission, ladies and gentleman.”

She walked back stage to the loud applause and energy of the audience.

When she opened her dressing room door, she had to bite her lip to keep from falling into hysterical laughter.

Somebody - the cast- had filled her room with bouquets of flowers.

Carefully sweeping the flowers from her chair she placed them in a neat pile on the floor and started disrobing to underwear. She had some time before intermission ended and the final act begun seeing as how her final and last performance of the night was The Finale.

****

For the finale, Kalia was shimmering in sequined gold. The top was embroidered on each breast, with a little sleeve that just covers the upper bicep. The skirt of the piece was also embroidered and sequined with slits up the sides of each leg. There were two straps that would settle on her love handles. She would again wear matching flats. She readied for the finale with a stage hand helping her into a mic set. With a final sliver of tape and a pat on her butt, the stagehand left her and she got into position beneath the stage for her appearance.

Fog filled the stage, the lights dimmed to an ominous blue, and the last band stayed on the stage as the keyboards drag out a solo, solemn note.

She started her singing with a literal thank you.  
She was actually under the stage looking at a lyric sheet so she doesn’t mess up any of the names. And there were a lot of names. Excluding the students and professors, she belted out the names of every donator that gave more than twenty dollars as donation: over three hundred names.

The drums began, keeping her tempo at the middle of her list. At the final name, the elevator lifts and she popped out of the trap door and stalked to the middle of the stage, halfway obscured by the fog. The lights flash to full power on and she bowed deeply, her voice punching out of her chest as she sang the final thank you.

The audience jumped to their feet in a standing ovation. The curtains closed and once they closed they opened back up with all the acts on stage. The bands and performers all bowed or curtsied in the curtain call, as rehearsed, and they fell upstage and parted in the middle for Kalia. She herself bowed deeply twice to the catcalls and cheers. The ensemble melded together behind her gesturing to stage right, and to stage left, and to the audience, and then to the sound and light board above and they bowed a final bow as an entire ensemble.

They stepped back as one and the curtains closed a final time.

They didn’t dogpile Kalia until they were well backstage and she was crying tears as she hugged them all back as much as possible.

*

Her dressing room is mostly clean, however there was a Tony Stark waiting for her with a huge bouquet of wildflowers in a dapper tuxedo. They eyed each other in appreciation of each other for a full minute. She shyly smiled at him. He pressed the bouquet into her arms and enfolded both the bouquet and her in a strong hug. 

“Damn.All your costumes look great on you.” They parted and she carefully placed the unique bouquet dead and center on her dresser. She turned back to him with a grin on her face.   
“How did you like the performance? We did raise a lot of money for UNICEF and by the crowd reaction, we rocked!”

Tony unashamedly watched as she started removing her costume; he could multi-task. “Yes, it rocked.” He rolled his eyes, sitting in the actor’s chair like he belonged there.  
“Thank you! We worked hard on this for months. Thank you for also being one of the top contributors.” She had sang all of the Starks names on stage for the final thank you and she had been pleasantly surprised that all of them donated. They were of course in the VIP section during the show. Kalia stepped behind the rack of clothes to pull back on a business casual pair of pants and a blouse. Tony’s “interested in what I’m seeing” gaze was really intense and focused. The only thing that saved her from stuttering and blushing was that she knew she wasn’t his type, nor he hers. She held the long coat that she was allowed to keep over her arm. “Now how the hell did you get back here?”

“Stark trademarked secret.” He popped the cufflinks on his tux as pretentiously as possible.

She only shook her head, watching him and trying to figure out how. “Aha! You flirted with one of the stagehands, didn’t you?”

 

 

The use of the names are randomly generated. Any and all similarities are purely coincidental.


	4. Chapter 4

The Changes

 

Kalia had her degree in hand when she walked across the stage to shake the hands of several deans. As it was her college graduation, she was obligated to stay to the end. As number six in the class ranking, she was to be a part of the photograph of the top twenty-five students that graduated that year. University Tradition. _Ugh. She means ‘Yay’._

After the pomp and circumstance of the ceremonies, her parents met her in the parking lot surrounded by tears, joy, laughter, and pure noise. Like all the other graduates,she threw herself into her mom and dad, hugging the both of them hard. Good god, she was out of college! Away from the numerous all nighters, coffee addiction, nice professors, asshole professors, immature collegiate classmates! Just, _finally_. Can she repeat it again? _Finally_! She could start her career as the assistant editor for one of the main journalists of Sola Aelius - an new Magazine on the rise all over North America.

 

Over their shoulders, she could see a grinning Rhodey and a smiling Tony with the Stark parents way in the back. She let loose a loud giggle, turning back to her parents and kissing them both on the cheeks.

 

“You invited Howard and Maria? To the graduation? Oh please tell me they’re coming to dinner with us? ”

 

Mrs. Rivera glanced back at the Stark parents with a gleam in her eye. “Oh darling, it was rather an interesting conversation. No need for details, love. This day is about you! Howard and Maria have graciously allowed me freedom to their kitchen and dining room; I have quite the spread for you when we get there.

 

As one they turned sweeping towards the Starks and Rhodey.

 

“Congrats on the degree, babe! I have a surprise for you later. Or rather a few surprises.” He pressed a bouquet of wildflowers into her arms and hugged her tightly.

 

Meanwhile, the Riveras and the Starks were watching with different expressions on their faces. Mr. Stark was scowling, trying to not look at their embracing kids,just knowing that this fiery tempered girl was going to stay with his son for years if she inserted herself into their lives with that much controversy. Mrs. Stark was glassy eyed and emotional. For one she had a bit too much champagne in the limousine. And two her babies were perfect for each other. They were even the same height! Yes. Slightly tipsy, she was beginning to see the two young people as a couple and she was fairly happy about it. Her son had a nice, responsible, down to earth woman to keep him grounded. Mr. Riviera thought he was doomed to having the Starks as in laws. The kids looked to be just about necking it with that embrace. Mrs. Riviera was beaming happily in the way all moms do when their little girl grows up. She was already planning for the grandchildren.

 

Kalia, Rhodey and Tony strode off, leaving the parents behind, talking about the upcoming vacation. Howard had insisted upon taking one of his company limousines. All of the party had piled into the car to travel from the graduation. The trio all squeezed in next to each other, still knee deep in their conversation. That left the remaining three quarters of the limo for the four parents to spread out as far away from each other as they could.

 

The dinner party wasn’t as awkward as she thought it would be. They had a good time and she herself had a bit too many glasses of wine. She awakened in Tony’s bed, hugging a body size pillow while Tony himself was on the floor with half the blankets. She didn’t know, nor did she want to ask how every time she drank alcohol she ended up in Tony’s bed. In fact, she was feeling nostalgic. The last time one of them graduated, the same thing happened, but she had awakened to a situation that was entirely embarrassing for both her and Tony.

 

Thankfully the hangover the next day was nonexistent as she had been sure to drink down multiple glasses of water before bed. Oh yes, nostalgia.

 

****

 

The trio boarded a private Stark jet, flying in relative peace and quiet to Brazil. She did not join in the festivities of the stewardesses dancing on the stripping poles for the boys.

 

Brazil was a headache inducing melting pot of bright colors,loud smells, piercing noises and overall chaos. She didn’t speak a lick of Portuguese, but her Spanish background made it easier to learn some of the language on the fly.

 

Day one sped by in a blur of drinks and club hopping. She was out of college, damn it, and she wanted to let her hair down after years of studying. She got what she wanted in four years, and she was having the time of her life with her two favorite men. At the end of day one, all three of them could barely stand, having to lean against each other and walls to get up to their room and collapse on the floor or bed. The pre-bedtime process of drinking water was almost skipped, but thankfully Rhodey dragged himself to the sink and filled the ice bucket to the brim.

 

The next day, Kalia had wanted a new tongue ring to celebrate. She didn’t wear it until she could douse the thing in bleach, and then alcohol.

 

The entire vacation was a blur of drunken happiness and youth; after the fact, she could comfortably say that she couldn’t remember much of that weekend at all.

 

When she got back from the whirlwind time off, she had a huge surprise in the mail for her.

 

She had gotten accepted as an assistant to the Department-Features Editor of one of the newest magazines based in New York, New York. Sola Aelius was part high fashion, part community oriented, and part country-wide oriented. It was a dream come true.

 

Her parents and Tony’s parents chipped in over five thousand dollars to start an apartment contract and to furnish the apartment. Complete with a large bedroom, a large bathroom, a huge kitchen and a walk-in closet, the apartment was perfect. She had an entire floor to herself and it was above a little sandwich and pizza place. She wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘Devil’s Food’ restaurant was on the Stark Industries’s payroll. The building was small and only fifteen minutes away from her job. (To be honest, she thought that she was conned into signing the papers for ownership of the entire building. Tony was devious, sneaky, and rich like that.)

 

The first week at her new apartment was a blizzard of activity. She alternated between shopping with Tony, shopping with her parents, shopping with just her mom, and strangely shopping with the Starks; even Howard spent quality time with her.

 

Slowly but surely, her bedroom was furnished to her liking; the bathroom was decorated, and then the kitchen. A desk with an SI tested prototype computer was on her desk next to several filing cabinets.

 

***

 

Tony had been kind enough to take her shopping for a brand new wardrobe or two. A summer wardrobe and a winter wardrobe. Seeing as how she moved in the middle of summer for her job, New York was extremely warm and the weather was perfect for light business casual-wear.

 

Between mass ordering suits of the same style and different colors, and ordering pumps, stilettos and flats of varying styles, heights, and colors, the day was spent on Tony’s arms spending what had to be tens of thousands of dollars in New York, New York. This place was damn expensive.

  
***

 

The day before work she packed a backpack full of things. A change of clothes including underwear, tampons, extra cash, hair ties, mints, a briefcase full of legal notepads, snacks, and a case of invisible tongue rings. She wanted to be prepared.

*

Her eyes were  half open when they  caught sight of a small key with a note attached. She pulled it off with a small frown of confusion and opened it.

 

~Look outside your main window. Complements from being a best friend of Tony Stark - Tony Stark~

 

She felt her stomach jump just a bit as she followed the directions and looked to the window. With a Stark being her friend, anything could happen. There was a personalized little “garage” in the alley with a glass ceiling so that she could see that Tony Stark had gotten her a gorgeous scooter.

 

“You son of a bitch”, she whispered, her toothbrush almost dropping out of her mouth. She held it together for five seconds before she squealed and rushed through the rest of her morning routine.

 

After eating breakfast, she had her bag on her shoulder and company charge card in her back pocket. Once she locked her doors, she threw herself down the stairs to the ground floor, out the door, and around the corner to the little garage. She started making little squealing noises because for god’s sake she had her own scooter! Her Own. Scooter! She pressed a button on her keychain and watched the door move upwards at a far too slow speed. Looking at her watch to check her time, she carefully strapped the backpack to the scooter and inserted the key. She donned the matching helmet and started the vehicle, maneuvering it out of the “garage” and startling in surprise as the door came down after her. She tilted her head and grinned in a way that was slightly scary.

*

There was a department store around the corner from her job, so she stopped by there first for the coffee maker before entering a workplace that was loud.

 

Clattering fingernails on keyboards, murmuring voices on telephones, excited lecturing in meeting rooms, and overall an aura of business met her once she entered.

 

Dressed in a grey pin-striped pair of slacks and white blouse, she did not stand out too much. Comfortable low heels adorned her feet and her hair was pulled back into a smart ponytail; she was ready to work.

 

Many editors glanced at her and continued working while others gave her a polite nod. She pressed her way to the Break Lounge to set the coffee-maker up.

 

Once done with the task she hurried to her boss’s office, grinning excitedly.

 

* * *

 

She was starting to make a name for herself. Though her name was rarely mentioned for editing a magazine article, her peers were recognizing the talent and creativity she brought to the table.

 

It was snowing that day. She had brought out a pair of snow boots that were brand spanking new, never used before. She had hot chocolate and an egg sandwich before driving off to work on her scooter. The drive was slow and took time. Multiple ambulances and police cars raced by her; even though New Yorkers knew how to drive in snow and icy conditions, there were still accidents.

 

...

She knew something was wrong. There was a supernatural hush as soon as she entered the building.It unnerved her. Terrifyingly so. As she started to shrug off her fur coat and gloves, her boss grabbed her hand and pulled her into his office. Someone closed the blinds and the room darkened slightly.

 

She glanced around the room in confusion and slowly dawning recognition that something was _definitely_ and _horribly_ not right.

 

The phone was off of it’s hook and her boss pressed it into her hands.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Kalia...” It was Tony. She hadn’t heard from him in a few weeks and he sounded wrong. She swallowed but her mouth was suddenly dry and she croaked out a question that she couldn’t remember asking.

 

“Tony? Tony, what’s going on? I... Something’s not right. W.Why did you call?”

 

There was a pause, as if everyone held their breath in the room. You could hear a pin drop in the silence.

 

“My parents were in an accident...they didn’t make it...”, he said slowly, stoically.

 

She gasped, her hand trembling as she pressed it into her mouth to keep from directly sobbing. Tony sounded emotionless to her ears. It wasn’t natural. _It wasn’t right._  The feeling in her stomach dropped while her spine stiffened in chilling alarm.

 

She kept quiet for a few seconds before drawing in strength and speaking at him and her boss.

 

“I’m going to take two weeks off from work, Tony. I am coming to California on the very next flight out of here; we are going to hole up in your room and never come out, okay?” She starts to button her fur coat up again, her fingers shaking a little too much as she had a difficult time doing so.

 

She didn’t realize tears were running down her face until her voice started shaking. “Tony? Are you listening? Hang in there. I’m coming. Stay strong for me, please.” She stood to look at her boss but he was already pushing her out the door and she sprinted to her little scooter, her bag still on her shoulder so she hopped on it, revved it up and floored it as fast as it could go.

 

The airport was approximately an hour outside of the city. She had time to think. “Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god. No...”

 

***

 

Despite the expediting courtesy of Jarvis, the flight from New York to Cali took over 10 hours. She met Jarvis at the airport with her backpack slung over her shoulder and eyes reddened from lack of sleep.

 

“Young Mr. Stark is already holed up in his room. He had refused to eat the day immediately after, but this morning his breakfast tray was half-empty.”

 

The English tones of Jarvis soothed her ears as they pushed passed tourists and other people to get to their transportation. Not recognizing the brand of car, she only noticed that it was incredibly fast to get her to the Stark Mansion as Jarvis drove.

 

She did not feel bad checking to see if Jarvis was holding up for himself and the household and Tony. The Englishman was still as prim and proper and well dressed as ever, yet she could see the tightness in the corner of his eyes and the flatness of his lips. The little tells were there and she sighed softly. “Oh, Tones. He’s entirely shut off, isn’t he?”

 

The man let out a small moue of distaste for a split second before turning back to his usual stoic countenance. “That has been more of an effect of the acting CEO Obadiah Stane. Not even a day after and the man is harassing Tony about the company. The company can run itself for a month or two, let young Mr. Stark grieve properly!”

 

Kalia nodded in agreement. “Definitely. If I see this Mr. Stane, I’ll be having words with him. Tony’s in a delicate place right now.” She frowned, though she was glad that two of Tony’s closest fr-... “Jarvis, has Rhodey been given the news? Is he on his way?” Her heart stopped for a moment. God, Tony would need both of his best friends right now.

 

Jarvis nodded firmly, the car coming to a smooth stop in the garage of the mansion. She did not care to look at the other cars, she was on a mission to look after Tony. “Mr. Rhodes has been called and given leave for however long he needs to see after young Mr. Stark.” Something in his tone caused her to stop for a second and look his way while retrieving her one bag.

 

“Is there... something the matter with Rhodey’s commanding officer letting him go on leave?” She waited patiently while Jarvis fixed a [delicate] tea tray of coffee and what looked like decanters of scotch.

 

“The military want to stay in good standing with the new and upcoming CEO of Stark Industries. They have had and will want to have ‘first dibs’ on Stark weapons.” She shivered slightly for his comment was incredibly passive aggressively cold, but still somehow polite.

 

She however, understood his point and gave a quiet noise in acknowledgement.

 

“Mr. Rhodes is already here and with Tony in his room. I imagine he is trying to get Tony to open up and at the very least partake in nourishment.”

 

The moment they reached the room, the door automatically opened and Rhodey pulled her into the room. His eyes were reddened and his skin was an ashen shade of grey.

 

Tony was a figure curled into himself on his desk, an open bottle of liquor next to his hand. She gave a distressed little noise at the sight hurrying to his side and pulling him away from the bottle.

 

“Oh, Tony-baby.” She had to support his weight to get him to his bed. She planned to cuddle him until he felt at least a little better. As they settled into the bed, she did not say a word as she felt her best friend’s shoulders shake. Tony tried to hold it in; though he was silent, Kalia felt the tears on her blouse.

 

Turning her head to Rhodey she had a mouthed conversation with him so she wouldn’t disturb the man in her arms.

 

‘Joint funerals?’ she made sure to articulate so he could read her lips.

 

‘Yeah. Funerals aren’t until Sunday. Family lawyers plan to read the wills on the following Monday.’ She grimaced, wondering how the “system” moved so fast. It was only Thursday.

 

***

 

She helped Jarvis, Rhodey, and Stane with the plans for the funerals and the reading of the wills. Things like, making Tony eat at least a little bit, or making sure Tony bathed every time he had gotten drunk and sick... She became something of an assistant CEO getting on the Board of Director’s asses to leave Tony Stark alone while he properly grieved. (Jarvis had dressed her professionally, like she was going to her own job, and pointed out the room and time for the meeting and she did the rest; barging in in the middle of the meeting with a quiet but firm demand to let Tony be.) She had gotten the Board’s approval to let Tony recover for an entire month.

 

The meeting with the family lawyers was set for 9 AM the morning after the funerals and the funerals themselves were at noon.

 

Right this moment the morning of an entirely too bright Friday, there was a meeting with the lawyers, Rhodey, Stane (what the fuck was he doing here, he’s not family) and Kalia.

 

Bradley, the head lawyer and consequently most paid was going through his papers with glasses perched precariously on his long nose. Kalia was seated next to Rhodey at the huge dining room table. She had a glass of water and a legal notepad in front of her.

 

“As of the first parts of Howard Stark and Maria Stark’s wills, and there are several joint wills and separate wills, both of them had wanted to be cremated. As of the ceremony, Maria requested a limousine service with full police escort both to and from the service for one Kalia Rivera one James Rhodes along with their son Anthony Edward Stark.”

 

Another lawyer, white male and middle aged opened the file in front of him and handed out two envelopes to both Rhodey and I. “These were to be given to James Rhodes and Kalia Rivera upon the event of the death of either Maria Stark or Howard Stark.” The man looks uncomfortable in his suit and tie, nervously tugging at his collar. “Seeing as how they both are deceased; well, you get the idea. I apologize.”

 

The legal team stood and looked ready to go to a bar to get blasted drunk. Kalia stood and clasped hands firmly with every single attorney, thanking them profusely and having Jarvis show them the front door.

 

“I’ll check on Tony and then read my letters. I’ll let you know what they say if they aren’t too personal, you know?”

 

Rhodey nodded, turning on his heel with a neat and precise about face.

 

Paying no mind to Stane, Kalia went to do as she said and peek in on Tony.

 

***

The day of the funerals, Rhodey, Tony and Kalia each dragged themselves to readiness to face the light. All of them did not sleep properly the night before, and regrettably the other two did not stop Tony from drinking his sorrows away.

 

Kalia was up early, making sure her modest black dress and flats were impeccable. She had personally delivered two glasses of water and a bottle of ibuprofen to Tony’s room. She had to check on him a little later. But for now she was in the shower; she realized that it was up to her and Rhodey to pull Tony out of his slump. They had to be strong for both Tony and the outside world.

 

Before she put on any of her underwear, she donned a robe and travelled across the hall to Tony’s rooms. Knocking lightly she didn’t wait to receive an answer before going in and staring at the lump in an enormous bed.

 

She herself felt empty and melancholic. Tony however, she didn’t know how he felt. He had a love hate relationship with his father and a somewhat affection towards his mother? But things had been getting better ever since Kalia had been introduced to his parents and they had all matured.

 

She found herself in his bed snuggled into his side , watching him sleep. Watching the dark circles under his eyes. Watching his [adorable] young adult facial hair. Tony Stark was strangely… beautiful in his mourning. If a little rugged.

 

Kalia scoots closer, closing her eyes when she feels his cool breath on her face. She didn’t mean to fall asleep, but the next thing she knew was Rhodey shaking both of them awake and not being able to breathe until they were all bundled up in their mourning attire and in a limo.

 

She was not going to lie. Dealing with the press scared her immensely. There was a full police escort and military salute through the city to the cemetery. Paparazzi were trying to get close up looks in the tinted windows, knocking on the glass and generally being a nuisance asking after the legacy of the Starks. When they were bundled into the car, her hand had not let go of Tony’s. With each passing moment, the grip on her palm had progressively gotten tighter slowly. Kalia mindlessly brings his knuckles to her lips and presses a kiss to  them, not exactly watching what she did.

☺

“Upon forth we commence the second meeting for the reading of the wills. As of the case for one Kalia Rivera, she will receive a sum of one thousand American dollars each month as allowance. The jewelry collection of Maria Stark will be given to Kalia Rivera. The task of organizing and heading the Maria Stark Foundation falls to Kalia Rivera wherein the aforementioned person will receive ten thousand a month for event planning of which all financing will be documented.” The lawyer reading through the will had a pinched face; This girl  had barely known the Starks and had gotten herself written into not only Maria Stark’s will, but Howard’s as well. Short term the girl was taken care of ,but thank the heavens the rest of the will will never be seen or heard by this little opportunist. He should have introduced his daughter to the womanizing little Stark. At the very least, his whore of a daughter would have been earning her keep. The nameless, jealous lawyer continues reading the wills in contempt. “From the will of Howard Stark, pertaining to one Kalia Rivera: Access to Stark property in the cities of Malibu, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Japan, and a few more scattered in Europe. Maintenance costs are set aside and will be maintained in the case of need. Along with the apartments, Howard Stark allocates an annual allowance of two hundred thousand American dollars to one Kalia Riviera.” The lawyer can’t hide his look of outrage fast enough for Kalia to not see it. However, she is preoccupied with looking at Tony and Rhodey with incredibly wide eyes.

Tony has an indescribable look in his eyes, yet Kalia cannot look to deeply into interpreting it before the next attorney takes the stage and finishes reading out the wills.

“There is a letter pertaining to one James Rhodes that the Starks decided to be private; therefore, James Rhodes shall get his letter and we can move on into the readings.”

As expected Tony gets absolutely everything else, and the reigns to the company once he turns twenty one.

 

After signing incredibly legally binding contracts over the wills, Tony stormed out of the room and ignored both Kalia and Rhodey.

 

The two other friends shared a look before running after their grieving friend.

 

Before she could realize, she was grabbed by familiar palms and held tight in a strong, unrelenting grip. **_“IS THIS WHY YOU BEFRIENDED ME?_** _**You wanted my parents’ money? You snuck your way into both my parents’ will and received what you wanted?!**_ ” Tony was shouting at her, shaking her in his grip.

 

Immediately she started tearing up. She knew he was having an alcohol problem but she didn’t know it was this bad. She could smell the liquor on his breath, saw the glassy tint in his eyes. She had gripped his biceps in return to hold onto him and she started shaking her head at the very first accusation. The horror of what he was saying was sending torrents of ice down her spine. “What no? Tony I love you! I never wanted anything to do with your money or the inheritance! You have to believe me.”

 

Tony only shook his head in disgust, releasing her, and turning his back to her. His next words would haunt her for years.

 

“You can leave now. You got what you wanted, why stay in my presence any longer when you don’t even like me? Why pretend to be one of my best and only friends I’ve had for years? _You wanted money? You got it. At the very least you didn’t have to sleep with me or my parents to get it._ “He gave a broken little laugh that was anything but humor. It was more like a pain filled, gut wrenching sob. “I bet you and your parents had this planned out the moment you found about me being your pen pal in high school. ‘Oh, Anthony Stark is your pen pal, why you have just got to get in his pants and whore yourself out so you can get thousands, maybe even tens of thousands! Oooh Kalia, just think about it, I mean it wouldn’t be any different from what you already do; at least you get paid for doing it!’ You missed one thing though. I’ve never fucked you. Thank god, I’m sure you’re the type to poke holes into my condoms to get yourself knocked up and put me in a trap. But thank god for you not being that slutty . I’m sure that you would have gotten more if you turned out to be pregnant with my illegitimate child, you **_whore_**.”

 

With each word that came out of his mouth, she took a step back. The horror turned to terror and panic and she couldn’t breathe and at the last word she couldn’t take it anymore. She released his arms and threw the hardest punch that she could, putting all her effort behind it as she shuddered with horror, fear, uncertainty. Though her mind was racing with emotion, her voice came out calm, icy, and low. “I understand that you’re in a hard place right now, Tony. You need to calm down.”

 

Tony had railed back into the opposite wall, blood streaming down his face as he held his hands to his nose with curses running from his mouth. “ ** _ME! I NEED TO CALM DOWN, she says_**!” He sounds as if he’s crying now. “ Get the fuck out of my life, you two timing, scheming _bitch_. Find someone else to fall into bed and maybe you’ll get the entire company and not money and access to my property.” She shrieked, jumping forward to punch him again but Rhodey wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her from the hallway.

She’s yelling at Tony, tears pouring down her cheeks because not only is she angry. She’s horrifying sad that this relationship is ending in such a way. She knows she will have to recover from this devastating loss and get treatment and therapy for this. “ _You’ll get your wish Tony. I’ll be out of your life forever now. Just remember who your actual friends are_!!” The door slammed shut with finality.

 

Through her emotional upheaval and tears, she didn’t see past Rhodey. If she did, Tony would not have been the person she punched, for Obadiah Stane had the most terrifying smirk on his face.

  
  
  
  


***

Author’s Note: Okay, the end scene was difficult to write because I had to find the nastiest thing a guy friend could say to a girl friend and then multiply it by 100 to go with the situation. You guys probably want to punch Tony too, but alas there will be some happiness to come!

I also need a beta that would suffer through my abuse >.>

 

Epilogue:

“You have to be as relentless as Christine Everhart with him, Kalia. You know you’re too sweet of a reporter and journalist to be out in this field. We want the nitty, gritty, ugly and you’re just this innocent little thing that’s all smiles and sunshine.” Her boss Jocelyn Sidney was a real hard ass of a Chief Editor. Her job title officially was Second journalist, but realistically she was the errand girl, personal assistant, writer of the “Girls Try this When In Bed With Your Man” and the “Guys, We’re Usually Faking It Unless You’re Doing This” columns in the magazine, and sometimes reporter for the times when Boss wasn’t happy with the information she received. Did she go to college for this? Well, technically she did for some of it.  

She was 34 years old, looked 24, had the same dark caramel skin tone, smooth as cream, thick and dark hair, pouty lips and 5’8 frame of a dancer. She worked out; she tried to eat as right as she could; she quit Solas and applied for Vanity Fair which she got after five years.

“Who am I trying to interview after Christine fucks, I mean gets through?”

She rolls her eyes, knowing good and well that Boss lets her say certain things because she’s such a valuable member of the team.

 

Boss smiled at her best worker, pointing to a former Vanity Fair magazine cover with a very familiar set of eyes featured on the front page. “ Tony Stark.”

 

***

  
  



End file.
